But why a 1% dividend yield? Why not 2% or more? It seems to me that the companies that pass the other metrics with a higher dividend yield may just be suffering from market sentiment dropping their share price. Wouldn't that possibly signal a good time to get in on that particular stock?

It's an arbitrary starting point, for sure. For me, 1% is fine, especially with the provision that the company has shown it wants to grow the dividend. At the very least, it can get a company on my watchlist as it continues to grow the dividend.

Also when looking at SCCO they have a positive 5yr avg div, but a negative 5yr growth rate. Shouldn't that knock them off your list?

I'm unsure what you mean by a negative 5-year growth rate.

Anyway, I just now have caught up with your board and look forward to the developement of your portfolio. I've seen you here and there on the Fool but I was recently surfing through different message boards and came across 'The Short Bus'! Ha, ha! I still have more than 2000 posts to read through before I'm ever caught up with that board.

It's amazing you even ran across that board! It's certainly not very active anymore, but it is fun to stir things up once in a while. :)

Announcements

When Life Gives You Lemons
We all have had hardships and made poor decisions. The important thing is how we respond and grow. Read the story of a Fool who started from nothing, and looks to gain everything.

Work for Fools?
Winner of the Washingtonian great places to work, and Glassdoor #1 Company to Work For 2015! Have access to all of TMF's online and email products for FREE, and be paid for your contributions to TMF! Click the link and start your Fool career.